Tusk scolds Polish PM for Auschwitz comments

Polish prime minister Beata Szydlo came under fire for a speech she made on Wednesday (14 June) at a ceremony in Auschwitz in which she seemed to have defended her government's anti-migrant policy.

"Auschwitz is a lesson showing that everything needs to be done to protect one's citizens," Szydlo said at the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the first prisoners arriving to the Nazi death camp.

Thank you for reading EUobserver!

Subscribe now and get 40% off for an annual subscription. Sale ends soon.

EUobserver is an independent, not-for-profit news organization that publishes daily news reports, analysis, and investigations from Brussels and the EU member states. We are an indispensable news source for anyone who wants to know what is going on in the EU.

We are mainly funded by advertising and subscription revenues. As advertising revenues are falling fast, we depend on subscription revenues to support our journalism.

European Council chief and former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk tweeted: "Such words in this place [Auschwitz] should never come from the mouth of a Polish prime minister."

Leszek Balcerowicz, the former chairman of the National Bank of Poland, tweeted: "Is Beata Szydlo extremely cynical, or did she suffer from moral colour blindness? And may not understand the sense of the words that she utters?".

Szydlo's remarks originally appeared in a tweet by the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), but this was later removed following the outcry.

A government spokesman, Rafal Bochenek, said that people should listen to the entire speech of the prime minister before making any judgment.

"If you look hard, bad intentions can be found in every expression. I suggest you listen to the entire speech of Premier Szydlo," he said.

Szydlo also said in her speech that politicians must make sure that "such terrible events as those that took place in Auschwitz and other places of martyrdom never happen again", Reuters quoted her as saying.

Szydlo was born in the town of Oswiecim, where the former Nazi death camp is situated.

Opinion

While the principle behind the EU's decision to take action against Poland for rejecting its refugee quota is understandable, the move could have damaging long-term consequences while bringing absolutely no benefit at all.